Friday, 10 June, 2016

Fostering an ex-racing greyhound to help prepare it for life as a household pet has proven a life-changing moment for Derarca O’Mahony.

Derarca, from the trendy Melbourne suburb of Malvern East, said the try-before-you-buy nature of fostering greyhounds through the Greyhound Adoption Program allowed her to make an informed decision about whether the breed suited her lifestyle.

“I was keen to get a greyhound but I wasn’t convinced it was the right dog for me. So I decided to foster and see what I thought.”

“I was a complete failure as a foster (carer), but he’s mine now and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

“This beautiful black dog (Cena) came into my life as my first foster, and within about two hours, I was besotted and knew I’d keep him. So I was a complete failure as a fosterer,” she laughed. “But he’s mine now and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

“I have continued fostering because I think they are a wonderful dog. I have a feeling I’ll have greyhounds for the rest of my life.”

Derarca continued to foster after adopting Cena, leading to her adopting a second canine companion named Geordie.